Spiral cam adjustable socket wrench



1949. F. c. PETERSON SPIRAL CAM ADJUSTABLE SOCKET WRENCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 14, 1945 vg v Feb. 1, 1949. F. c. PETERSON 2,460,766

SPIRAL CAM ADJUSTABLE SOCKET WRENCH Filed March 14, 1945 V 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor lsmmzv Atto Patented Feb. 1, 1949 SPIRAL CAM immerses socKE'r WRENCH, H

Frank 0. Peterson, Locona, 0. Z. Application March ld, 1945, .SerialNo; 582,595. 1 Claim. (0181-128) I This invention relates to socket wrenches,

has more particular reference to a wrench of this kind embodying adjustable socket sections which" adapt the wrench for turning bolts and nuts'df various sizes.

The primary object of the invention is to pro vide, in a wrench of the above kind, a socket unit which is of simple, durable and compact construcf tion, and in which the adjustable jaws may be readily and conveniently adjusted to suit the size of a nut or the head of a bolt to be turned.

More specific objects and features of the invention will become apparent from the following de scription when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, and the invention consists in the novel form, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an adjustable socket unit constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the same.

Figure 4 is a vertical section taken on line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a vertical section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a. horizontal section taken on line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 'l is a top plan view of one of the adjustable socket sections.

Figure 8 is a bottom plan view ring for the adjustable jaws.

Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 3 illustrating a modification of the socket sections.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the illustrated form of the present socket unit for of the adjusting tion, as shown in Figures 4 and 5. slidably disposed against the under side of the body 5 at opposite sides'of the socket section 6, aresimilar adjustable socket sections l0 and [0a which are provided at the top with parallel ribs I l and Ila. The ribs l l and Ila of each adjustable socket section snugly slidably fit in the corresponding slots 9 and 9a of each set, so that the adjustable socket sections are adjustable radially of the body 5 relative to eachother and the fixed or stationary socket section 6.

, The ribs Ila are provided at the top with spiral thread portions I2 that project above the surface of the body 5. Rotatably fitted on the lower portion of the stud 1 is an adjusting ring 13 provided in its under surface with a spiral groove [4 to receive the thread portions 12 of the ribs Ila. Thus, by rotating the ring I3 about the stud I, the adjustable socket sections I'll and la may be radially adjusted toward or away from each tained in connected relation to the body 5 in all wrenches includes a circular body 5 formed at one side with an integral depending socket section 6 of segmental form and formed at the top with a central upstanding cylindrical stud I provided" with a central polygonal socket 8 adapted for snug removable reception of the similarly shaped end portion of an ordinary wrench handle or shank by means of which the unit is turned. As such wrench handles or shanks are conventional and well known in the art, the same is not illustrated herein. The body 5 is provided with two sets of parallel slots therethrough at 9 and 9a, at each side of the integral or fixed socket B, the slots 9a being radial to the body 5 and the slots 9 being undercut or of dovetail shape in cross secpositions of their adjustment, and it is preferred to have the socket sections of similar size so that they will conjointly form a closed socket for reception of the bolt head or nut when the socket sections are in contiguous relation, as shown in Figure 3.

Secured on the upper end portion of the stud 1 is a retaining collar l5 which may be threaded on the stud I, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, so as to retain the adjusting ring IS on the stud I in a manner to prevent objectionable vertical play of the ring l3 while permitting free manual rotation of the latter. Preferably, the ring [3 is of an outside diameter similar to that of the body 5 and the collar l5 and may have its outer surface knurled or roughened to facilitate gripping and turning the same.

In the embodiment of Figures 1 to 8, inclusive,

the socket sectionslare formed for engagement with hexagonal nuts and bolt heads. However, by forming the inner faces of the socket sections with additional V-shaped grooves l6, a-socket of the well known box type may be provided to adapt the wrench for engagement with different shapes of nuts and bolt heads and to enable a new purchase on the nut or bolt head under adverse conditions well understood in the art. This is illustrated in Figure 9, wherein the adjustable socket sections are indicated at 10' and 7 Y integral depending sector-shaped socktsetiiifi r 3 a r 4 1,0 and the fixed or stationary socket section adjustable ring rotatable on said studand pro at 6'. V V vided in its under surface with a spiral: thread From the foregoing description, it is believed groove receiving the thread portions of the interthat the construction'and operation, as well as mediate ribs of the adjustable socket sections the advantages of the present invention, will be 5 whereby rotation of saidiring will effect adjustreadily understood and appreciated by those ment of the adjustable socket sections toward or skilled in the art. It will be seen that the device awafy from'each other radially of the body, de- 7 is so constructed as to efiectiyely carry, out the egging u on the direction 9;, rota tion of said it's-s tats iiifiofit and the as" 'sahs-fnngbemg of stated dbictsof theintention; a v H i I Q 7 v understoodthat fhiribihang fixay liinfi'diii 10 fifiafiiefiiaihetr as'tTibofiibihd"s63ket secdetails of construction illustrated and described -g, 95 When the adjustable o et Sect ons are such as fairly fall within the spirit and scope 6 u y adjusted toward each fi a d a Col a the invention as claimed. metastases $21? s ciif ii fifiipp r n f id stu and rota the jaws may be adjustable, and the number o i313 confining sai ring n t h o y With .J'aws used may vary. a 7 thread portions of said ribs engaged in the What I claim is: V spiral'gft'iove of said ring, said collar being of the An adjustable socketvwreri'cliiiii trifling-bolts f h i am v' y and h adj s n :and nuts, comprising a circular body havingg-n g s, p

FRANK C. PETERSON.

- A REFERENCES" CITED." sinis er satisfies-safe: 6i "ieasrziin the;

:at one side a pair of r:dially a :Sha 1 h Number 

